Galapagos Species Database

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Year of first record: 2008

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Stowaway

Subpathway: Hitchhiker on transport vehicles/cargo

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: Potentially Invasive

Impact in Galapagos: Still rare in the Galapagos, so its impact has not been severe to date.

Impact elsewhere: This species severely affects biodiversity through aggression towards other invertebrates, irritating vertebrates and can also affect agriculture through seed predation and caring for sap-sucking insects such as Icerya purchasi. The ant can also chew through cables.

Control History in Galapagos: In Galapagos and worldwide, the pesticide containing hydramelthynon (e.g. Amdro) controls this species effectively due to the susceptibility of its compact colonies. An eradication campaign was started after this species was first dectected in the Galapagos. The species is more common than was originally thought, but its current distribution in the villages should allow for effective control via poisoning. As humans are the most likely cause of its movement between islands, effective biosecurity is very important to prevent it spread across the archipelago.

Known Pest elsewhere: Widely dispersed in tropic and temperate regions.

Feeding preferences: Big-headed ants are omnivorous, eating dead insects and seeds and can kill young chicks and reptiles by swarming.

Trophic role: Omnivorous

Distribution origin: Southern Africa

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Isabela, Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal,

• Herrera, H. W., Tocora, M. C., Fiorentino, G., Causton, C. E., Dekoninck, W., & Hendrickx, F. (2024) The ants of the Galápagos Islands (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): a historical overview, checklist, and identification key. ZooKeys, 1191, 151.
• Herrera, H. W., Baert, L., Dekoninck, W., Causton, C. E., Sevilla, C. R., Pozo, P., & Hendrickx, F. (2020) Distribution and habitat preferences of Galápagos ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Belgian Journal of Entomology 93: 1–60.
• Mueller-Dombois, D. Loope, L. (1987) Algunos Aspectos Ecológicos unicos en Ecosistemas de Islas Oceánicas. Memorias Taller sobre investigación Botánica y manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 24-32.